Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail for eight weeks to 13 pro-BNP lawyers in a case filed by police following a clash with the lawyers during a road-march in the Dhaka Judge Court area.
The High Court Bench Justice Md Jahangir Hossain and Justice Mohammad Showkat Ali Chowdhury passed the order after hearing a bail petition filed by the lawyers.
The lawyers are — Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokan, Barrister Kayser Kamal, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, Mohammad Ali, Mahbubur Rahman Khan, Dewan Humayun Kabir Ripon, Al Faisal Siddiquee, Shahdat Hossain Adil, Russel Ahmed, Md Abdul Qaiyum, Mohidul Islam Shipon and Ashraf Jalal Khan.
The HC also directed the accused lawyers to surrender before the lower court concerned in eight weeks in connection with the case.
Lawyers Zainul Abedin, Mohsin Rashid, Subrata Chowdhury and Mamun Mahbub appeared in the court hearing for the petitioners.
Md Shahabuddin Hawladar, a Sub-Inspector of Kotwali Police Station in Dhaka, filed the case as the plaintiff against 66 people including the 13 lawyers.
Earlier, a Dhaka court granted bail to 49 lawyers who were also made accused in the case.
The clash with police occurred during the lawyers’ road-march on September 12, resulting in injuries to at least 50 lawyers.
The lawyers had gathered in front of the Dhaka Bar Association to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, the removal of “self-proclaimed sworn politicians” judges, and the unconditional release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Subsequently, the United Lawyers’ Front (ULF), an anti-government lawyers’ group, initiated the march from Dhaka Bar Association to the main road, which was met with a police response, leading to the dispersal of the lawyers’ march.
The United Lawyers’ Front claimed that at least 50 lawyers were injured during the incident.
Later that night, police filed a case against 66 individuals, including BNP’s Joint Secretary General Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokan and the party’s Legal Affairs Secretary Barrister Kayser Kamal, accusing them of attacking the police during the pro-BNP lawyers’ march.
